VHS / Abhorrent Funeral - Horrific Homages

VHS / ABHORRENT FUNERAL - Horrific Homages (FALLEN TEMPLE - CD 2021)

Horror, bloody horror. Oh yeah, people love these old B class horror movies these days, the obscener and bloodier they are, the better. Good thing is that now and then some horror influenced albums are released, kind of like a tribute to that classic horror cinema - just like a title says, it is a horrific homage. Such is this split, where Canadian VHS (what a clever band name haha) and Polish Abhorrent Funeral share their love for slasher movies. Oh, just listen to all these cool intros in between the songs, which are basically movie trailers, characteristic for the 70's or 80's cinema. That sounds nice. 

But as for the proper music, I can't complain also. I like what both bands did. VHS is more grinding death metal, but their shit is powerful, it kicks ass with some nice riffs and crazy vocals. Abhorrent Funeral music is dirty and vulgar, it's simple, almost primitive, speaking of the square idiotic riffs and the basic arrangements style they have. But damn, it just sounds cool. Both bands have a lot of punk elements in their music also, both have covered The Misfits (blame Satan for it, but I've never cared to listen to this band haha)... So, this CD is just as mad as it is a lot of fun and I have to say I like it. 

Verdict: 69/100

Concilium / Hexitium - Necrose Death Hunger

CONCILIUM / HEXITIUM - Necrose Death Hunger (PUTRID CULT - CD 2020)

I really need to be in a proper mood for music such as the one from this split. A mood, which would allow me to go through such dose of chaotic and utterly cacophonous black metal without doing a damage to my mind, but all the surrounding (as it does happen to throw CDs with annoying music into the wall or just to see how far can a disc fly). 

Anyway, both bands are Portuguese. And I did have a previous encounter with Concilium - which was rather forgettable, as "The Oblivion of Time in the Dim Light" was not an album that impressed with anything at all.  Second of the bands is called Hexitium, by the way... Well, since I already wrote earlier about chaotic, very, very raw and noisy black metal in its most primitive and morbid form, then there's not much else I could add, really. Frankly, if you seek for a decent black metal production, a bit of melody or memorable playing or anything like that, you won't find it on "Necrose Death Hunger". Both bands perform very suffocating music, both bands have that necro - or simply utterly harsh and cold - feeling in their songs. The production is minimalistic, their riffs are just extreme... and so are vocals. Stylistically both bands differ a lot, as Concilium music is faster, more brutal (despite rather peaceful beginning of the first song), while Hexitium music is slower, the band tries to incorporate more atmospheric parts into it, but played in that most primitive way. 

Neither of these bands really managed to impress me highly. Which doesn't mean that "Necrose Death Hunger" is an unlistenable, crappy piece of crap. Actually, it is decent. If I'm in a proper mood, I can bare it and give it few spins. This is one of those recordings, where the atmosphere is more important than technical aspects of the music. And definitely “Necrose...” works well in the proper dark surrounding. 

Verdict: 60/100

Upon the Altar - Absid ab Ordine Luminis

UPON THE ALTAR - Absid ab Ordine Luminis (PUTRID CULT - CD 2021)

In the stack of CDs, which I recently got from Putrid Cult, this one immediately caught my attention. It's Upon the Altar with their debut album "Absid ab Ordine Luminis". Even before this album was released, I heard some opinions that it's gonna be a real shredder and a must for all fans of morbid metal of death. And they weren't exaggerated. This is a great album, in my opinion. At first, I was sceptic a little maybe, but all that was gone after first few spins. Imagine that I've listened to it for at least twenty times since yesterday... Not an album, which you could easily forget about. 

"Absid ab Ordine Luminis" is about two things: primitive, savage brutality and atmosphere. Primitive because music on this album is very raw and it simply has that vulgar, violent, primitive feel. Which is something not every band can do right with. I mean, being primitive just for the sake of being primitive is easy, but it mostly takes you into useless, boring wall of noise. But there are bands, which can do gold with simplistic means, like crushing, vicious riffage and bestial howls. Upon the Altar definitely composed some excellent songs here. Sure, some riffs may sound a bit like square simple, neanderthal accords, but most of this stuff is very, very impressive. And with that harsh, brutal production, "Absid ab Ordine Luminis" can still sound powerful, just as it sounds unpleasant, as there's nothing pleasant about this music. You won't find here any melodies or things, which would give even a small bit of light in this deepest and darkest hellish abyss. 

The music is almost on the verge between black and death metal, with similarities from Blasphemy, Profanatica, Von or Crucifier to Incantation, Bestial Raids and so on. Actually, wherever I looked, everyone was mentioning bands such as Vassafor, Temple Nightside, Diocletian, Teitanblood as a point of reference for Upon the Altar. Which are all excellent bands to compare Upon the Altar to as well. But what I want to say is that there's just the same savagery and bestiality in the riffage, which all these bands share. Also, a lot of this material is slow, almost doomy, which is something I like a lot, as this is where such style sounds the most vicious and malicious. And that takes us to the atmospheric part of my description. Upon the Altar's music quickly sets that blasphemous, ritualistic atmosphere... very obscure, murky, cold and hateful. Give a listen to the title track for that matter and tell if it doesn't impress you immediately. In my opinion "Absid...” definitely is a highlight on the Polish extreme metal scene of recent months. 

Standout tracks: "Mortuus Est Rex", "Wolfs of Napalm", "Absid ab Ordine Luminis" 

Verdict: 80/100

Hooded Menace / Algoma - Split

HOODED MENACE / ALGOMA - Split LP (DOOMENTIA Records LP 2017)

Two years after "Darkness Drips Forth" album was released, Hooded Menace brought us another split in their discography, this time with a band called Algoma. With it, they introduced us to new vocalist Harri Kuokkanen, who for some reason replaced Lasse Pyykkö (from then on, Lasse decided to focus on guitars only). Well, musically their new song "Celestial Dissection" is also something new in the musical style of Hooded Menace, in my opinion. They still play a brilliant death / doom metal, but "Celestial Dissection" feels much less depressive and gloomy, less mournful... It sometimes is a bit more melodic (which do remind me old Paradise Lost!), more memorable also, some parts sound slightly more up-tempo. And they are not always that ultra slow, what used to characterize a lot of Hooded Menace music before. It's not that super depressive and gloomy. Generally, "Celestial Dissection" feels more varied, easier to listen to, heavier... Which is something I like to hear. When I was recently listening to all earlier Hooded Menace recordings, with "Darkness Drips Forth" their music kind of became tiring. So, if "Celestial Dissection" is going to be a sign for some changes within their doom death metal style, then I welcome them with pleasure. I like most of the previous recordings a lot, but it's good to hear also some development in this music. And Harri Kuokkanen sounds very good, I like his voice a lot. He's also in bands like Ride for Revenge and Horse Latitudes, if you want to know. Anyway, "Celestial Dissection" turned out to be a great surprise and for me, this is one of the best Hooded Menace songs so far. I'm writing it before hearing anything from "Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed" though.  

As for Algoma, this is my first experience with this band and I've never even heard of them before this split came out. Algoma are from Canada and their discography isn't so big as Hooded Menace's. Anyway, we have here one song, called "Failed Stunt Fatality", and I can admit that I quite like it also. It may not speak to me as much as Hooded Menace music does, but it is cool stuff, anyway. Riffs are straight from your stoner / sludge kind of shit, but they have a nice vibe and are heavy as fuck. That definitely is a good aspect of Algoma music. Sometimes that Sabbath vibe is more audible, sometimes less... but this shit definitely sounds massive and has a cool feeling. Vocals are not necessarily in my preferable style, but they are not bad also. All in all, I enjoyed this song.

Verdict: 70/100

Morbid Stench - Doom & Putrefaction

MORBID STENCH - Doom & Putrefaction (PUTRID CULT - CD 2019)

It's been few years, since I had a pleasure to play and review Morbid Stench's "The Stench of Doom" tape, so I am glad then that I finally have an opportunity to listen to their debut album "Doom & Putrefaction". Yes, I know that I am terribly late with it, because this album was released in mid 2019, but well, I kind of postponed the purchase for unknown reasons... But it's better late than never. And I am sssooooo glad that I finally got this CD, because this album is excellent. Morbid Stench again delivers a great portion of death / doom metal, which to me sounds very much like one of the strongest offerings in this genre. 

Yeah, but isn't it weird what is going on with death / doom metal nowadays? I mean, there were years that all bands participated in the "who's the fastest and most technical" contest and no one played slow, mournful death metal. But since few years a whole lot of killer doomy death metal bands were born and many fantastic albums were released. Even fuckin Paradise Lost composed a song titled "Beneath Broken Earth", which for me is one of the very best death / doom songs ever unleashed to this world. Being a fan of many of these bands, I am just glad to hear such resurrection of this style. 

That takes us to Morbid Stench, who sounds very, very strong on "Doom & Putrefaction" and for me it is one of the better albums in recent years. Obviously, these guys won't surprise you with something new, but damn, their music is fantastic anyway. They simply tick all these boxes, which you need for a perfect death / doom metal. Great, heavy as fuck, slow, but crushing riffs. Occasional faster or more mid paced parts. A necessary dose of melody, which can combine a bit of the early Paradise Lost with the Swedish scene (Eternal Darkness). Harsh, very savage sounding growls. Powerful sound and dark, very obscure, cryptic atmosphere... All these ingredients are here and in result, you could say that "Doom & Putrefaction" is a perfect example for how death / doom metal album should sound. More so, due to their country of origin Morbid Stench has some sort of exotic spice, at least that's what I hear in the vocals for instance (something similar I always pick from Chilean bands for example). Anyway, I truly like this album, it caught my attention very quickly and fully pleased with the musical content. 

Standout tracks: “The Eucharist”, “Morbid Stench” 

Verdict: 80/100

Amputory - Ode to Gore

AMPUTORY - Ode to Gore (XTREEM Music - CD 2015)

Would you believe if I say that I have this CD more or less since the year of its release (which was 2015), but I have not given it a listen at all? Just few days ago I gave it a first spin. Well, it's all because of the "I buy too much stuff" syndrome, but they also say "better late than never"... And I am happy that I finally played "Ode to Gore", because it is a very solid album. Amputory - who are Finnish band, by the way - plays this very easy to get into, memorable, but still brutal and sick death metal in the old school vein. Their music has absolutely nothing groundbreaking, but it has great riffs, a nice groove and atmosphere and it also has that crushing, powerful factor, which is always needed in death metal music. 

Stylistically this shit is... well, Amputory are from Finland, so they just have to sound Scandinavian. Of corpse they do! But there's more of the Swedish stench to it than Finnish, what doesn't disturb me at all. Amputory sounds like Grave, but also like one of these Rogga Johansson bands, especially Paganizer, speaking of the brutal feel, vocals style, groove and all that stuff. I like that these songs - which mostly are mid paced, crushing, catchy death metal tunes - have also some melodic parts, as they give more flavour to this stench of rotten corpse. More sweetness, I would say haha! But really, there's nothing what would be done wrong. Songs are so easy to get into, you play this album and just like it immediately. It doesn't require much work from your brain cells, you know?! And it's good. It's just fun stuff, perfect if you want to grab couple of beers and just listen to some old school death metal. Great, clean production too... Nice. Where’s more? It's been nearly six years now. If I am lucky I will listen to new album in 2028! 

Standout tracks: “Illusion of Sanity”, “Unclean”, “Cleansing the Blade” 

Verdict: 75/100

Abjvration - The Unquenchable Pyre

ABJVRATION - The Unquenchable Pyre (ME SACO UN OJO - LP 2016)

I'm not sure if Abjvration is still active, because "The Unquenchable Pyre" was released back in 2015 and to this day it’s the only recording of this band. But I do hope that there will be a continuation one day. In this category of obscure doom / death metal, they surely had something great to offer. They really captured my attention right from the first proper song "The Desiccated Womb", which is an awesome piece of murky death metal, which can impress with the heaviness of the slower riffs, thick, monstrous brutality of faster parts and the overwhelming vicious aura. This song goes for eight minutes, and in my opinion is something more than just an Incantation or Hooded Menace worship. I especially like how this crawling, monstrous riffage can awake a claustrophobic, horrifying feeling, with the beastly growls and exploding faster parts.  

It gets even more dynamic with such "The Famished Zealot", which honestly sounds a bit more melodic with almost memorable parts. But the music still is soaked with black tar and asphyxiating smoke, do not worry. Damn, third song "The Clawed Redeemer" will hit you even harder, with a blasting, incredibly brutal offering alike to Incantation (OK... I had to name this band despite all tries for not comparing Abjvration to any other band) and it sounds absolutely fuckin sweet. At first it almost comes as a surprise to hear something so fast, but somewhere in the middle of the song Abjvration slows down anyway, in order to crush the listener completely. And they do succeed, I play this song loud as fuck and can literally imagine the walls of my living room crackling and ears bleeding. And mind, it all wouldn't be possible if A. Abjvration didn't know how to compose killer riffs and B. if they didn't get that harsh, yet powerful and brutal production (where there’s no bass guitar at all... and you won’t notice a difference). 

All in all, I think that "The Unquenchable Pyre" is a killer release, I am wondering then if there will be a continuation or not?! I hope there will! 

Standout tracks: "The Famished Zealot", "The Clawed Redeemer"

Verdict: 80/100